A Suitable Replacement
by princessofthescoundrels
Summary: Patricia Rakepick wasn't Lily Evans by any means, but she did have her hair. To a desperate Snape, that was enough.


Severus Snape sat, hunchbacked, over his books. NEWTS weren't going to study themselves, and he knew that The Dark Lord was only recruiting the best. Lucius and the others had made themselves perfectly plain before they left Hogwarts – Severus Snape was a greatly sought after asset.

Hunger for The Dark Lord's attentions washed over Severus, and over the past months it had sent him into somewhat of a craze. He was going to belong to a group, be looked after, and told he was valuable. Though The Dark Lord could care less what marks he achieved, Severus knew his value lay in whatever job he acquired. Unlike his less careful comrades, Crabbe and Goyle among them, he never vocalized his intentions to one day proudly flaunt the Dark Mark.

It had been assumed, as Lily Evans had pointed out to him fifth year, that he would be joining Death Eater ranks. No one had a doubt in their minds, but Severus was clever enough to know that to burn bridges meant potentially missing out on highly sought after job opportunities that would enhance his value. He was only a half-blood, after all…

As Severus wound up yet another roll of parchment, adding to his already extensive pile of completed essays, Patricia Rakepick slid into the seat across from him. Red hair pulled back, she surveyed him over her cold eyes. Calculating.

Severus froze in the middle of unfurling a new roll. It was very unlike a Gryffindor these days to be fraternizing with a Slytherin, unless it was to hex them into oblivion. For this reason, his hand twitched to his wand handle, lying inches away from his discarded quill.

"I'm not here to duel, Snape."

Her voice was confident, but not mocking. This did little to convince Severus of good intentions – their battles for academic achievement often brought them to explosive matches in public corridors, her propensity to hang out with certain randy troublemakers only furthered their divide. _Marauders._

"Whatever you're here for, I haven't the time." He continued unfurling the scroll and reached forward to grab an Arithmancy book. She caught his hand midway. Interlocking their fingers, she leaned forward. Her red hair cascaded down her shoulders, hiding the pair of them away.

"I'm here because I'm the best shot you have at ever getting laid."

Severus pulled his hand away from her so quickly that he nearly knocked over his inkbottle. She settled back in her seat, arm casually resting over the back of it, throat bowed in a graceful arc as she laughed at him.

"I don't need your help," Severus responded scathingly.

"I need yours," Rakepick retorted. "If I have any hope of getting a decent score on my Potions NEWT."

Severus scoffed. "I take it your OWL grade wasn't satisfactory?"

"It was my only non-Outstanding," Rakepick responded evenly. Severus laughed mockingly, although he himself had received two Exceeds Expectations.

"So you thought you'd whore yourself out then, would you?" His comments didn't seem to sting her, they merely bounced off. Rakepick blinked.

"I actually thought I'd be doing you a favor."

Weary of this conversation, Severus stood and began collecting his books. "There's nothing you have that I would want-"

Rakepick was by his side in an instant, chest flush against his own, breath warming his ear.

"It's the closest you'll ever get to fucking Lily Evans."

She pulled back, smirk plastered on her face. Severus opened his mouth, ready to respond with a denial, with a rebuttal, with a scathing insult but he stopped. Her face was the wrong shape – too hard and harsh. Her nose too sharp, her body too rounded, but her hair… precisely the right shade of ginger. He swallowed thickly.

"I thought of other ways to pay you, I really did. But this…" she trailed off, sliding a hand across his face purposefully. "I thought you'd appreciate more."

"I'd rather a Dementor have its way with me," Severus said quietly, pulling away from her and putting his books away in his bag, averting his eyes.

He walked away, shoes scuffing heavily on the cobblestone. Was nowhere in Hogwarts safe from his tormentors? Not even in the library could Severus find refuge from Potter and his mocking friends…

"Severus?" Rakepick called out, and only the use of his first name could have stopped him. He turned, looking at her through a curtain of slick, black hair. "This isn't a joke."

Any semblance of teasing was gone from her face and Severus wanted so desperately to believe her.

So much in fact, that later – when she had taken his virginity from him and sat, writhing above him like some wild thing, Severus nearly wanted it to be a joke. He wanted this all to be a mistake, wanted another's mane of red hair to be flying above him.

Rakepick had the good sense not to speak, for speaking would ruin the illusion. Severus nearly felt bad about it, when he pulled her down, face astride his own, so he could run his hands through her hair and not be hindered with her too-sharp features mocking him from above.

She was not Lily Evans, but by Merlin, Patricia Rakepick too was a force of nature Severus Snape was not equipped to reckon with. The Dark Lord would put them all in their place, and Snape would show the world the kind of man he truly was. Then, finally, they'd stop laughing.

Xxx

Okay so I'm not a Snape worshipper, and so many fics out there are… just thought I'd showcase a little of his gray with a recently christened canon character from the Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery game. She's a little gray, too.


End file.
